COVID Update: Which States Have Passed RON?

The following information originally appeared on Qualia – Read the full blog here

Qualia COVID Update: Which States Have Passed RON or Temporary Orders for Remote Notarization? This is what is happening where we are.

Remote online notarization (RON) is the final frontier toward fully-digital real estate closings. One of the primary barriers impeding RON adoption is a lack of RON legislation in some states.

In the past year before the COVID-19 pandemic, RON legislation accelerated at a promising rate; however, many states were still holding back. Starting in late March (at the onset of local COVID-19 shutdowns) however, dozens of states enacted orders to temporarily enable remote notarizations.

The pandemic exposed an urgent need for contactless closing options and jumpstarted legislative action. In the past 3 months alone, RON legislation and remote notarization orders have accelerated at record speed.

Before the Coronavirus: Which States had Passed RON Legislation?

• Florida passed RON legislation which went into effect January 1, 2020. Portions of this legislation went into effect later (execution of wills and estate planning documents went into effect July 1, 2020).
• Maryland passed a RON bill in April 2019 which is scheduled to go into effect October 2020. In March 2020 the governor issued an emergency order temporarily allowing remote notarization ahead of the October start date.

Temporary emergency orders enabling remote notarizations

Nearly half of the United States has not yet enacted RON legislation. Many of these states responded to the need for contactless transactions with temporary orders enabling remote ink-signed notarizations (RIN) and RON for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• New Jersey: in April 2020, New Jersey enacted an emergency order enabling remote notarizations in the state for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• New York: in late March 2020, the governor issued an order immediately authorizing notarial acts to be performed utilizing audio-visual technology under certain conditions. Later, the Secretary of State issued updated guidance allowing electronic signatures for the signers.
• North Carolina: in May 2020, North Carolina enacted a bill allowing notaries to perform RIN under certain restrictions.
• Pennsylvania: in April 2020, Pennsylvania enacted a bill to enable RIN and RON.

Two Rivers Title is certified and #RONReady.